Tag Archives: Mel Tillis

Country legend Mel Tillis smiled and held up a certificate proclaiming he is member of the Tristar Centennial Heart Zipper Club today.

Tillis underwent heart surgery last weekend for a routine procedure. He spent nearly a week recovering in the hospital before he was released today in time to catch his favorite basketball team on television.

"Dad is doing great and is happy to be leaving the hospital in time to catch today's Florida vs. Missouri game," said daughter and fellow country artist Pam Tillis in a statement.

Mel Tillis plans to resume touring soon and will release new music in 2014.

Mel Tillis performing on the riverfront on Saturday at the CMA Music Festival (Photo: Samuel M. Simpkins/The Tennessean)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Country Music Hall of Fame singer Mel Tillis is recovering in Nashville after heart surgery over the weekend.

According to a statement from his daughter, Pam Tillis, the 81-year-old singer required a "routine heart procedure," but is expected to make a full recovery.

"In typical Mel Tillis fashion, he's already cutting up and cracking jokes with the nurses," Tillis said in a statement. Four scheduled shows have been canceled due to his surgery.

Tillis became a successful songwriter and singer despite dealing with a stutter. He has recorded more than 60 albums, and his hits include "Good Woman Blues," ''Coca Cola Cowboy," and "Southern Rain." He's written top songs for George Strait, Ray Price, Bobby Bare, Kenny Rogers and many more.

Dunn and his wife Janine had just woken up on his tour bus behind a Cracker Barrel in Oklahoma on May 20 when Dunn noticed the sky had turned a nasty shade of gray. His wife suggested they turn on the Weather Channel and when they did, they learned what is now known to be an F-5 tornado was on the ground near Moore, Okla., about 40 miles west of them. The twister was headed west.

“There were people standing out in parking lots looking up at the sky, and in Oklahoma when they do that, it’s serious,” Dunn said.

Dunn had his driver fire up the bus and they started driving back to Nashville on a path parallel to the storm. He watched as the reports started coming on of the devastation and sent out a few tweets and posted on Facebook about the tornado. He said within a few minutes he heard from the CEO of Verizon who wanted to help the area. Soon after he got a call from the head of the company that distributes CDs and DVDs to Walmart, who broached the idea of a benefit concert for the victims and survivors of the Oklahoma tornadoes.

“I said, ‘You know what, I’m not worth a hundred tickets. Let me make some calls and we’ll see what we can do. I’m going to throw some hail marys right here,’” Dunn said.

He texted Brooks who immediately called him back and said he wanted to be involved in whatever was planned. Dunn then called Keith, a native of Moore, and told him of the plan – but added they wanted to take Keith’s lead, since it was his hometown.

Keith asked for Brooks’ telephone number and Dunn gave it to him. Keith called Dunn back and confirmed what he already knew: Brooks was in.

“I hope Garth’s not mad at me for giving Toby his telephone number,” Dunn said. “In my mind, with Garth getting involved, especially in Oklahoma, it takes it from a concert to an event in a hurry.”

Dunn says that with reports of people still living in tents in front of their demolished homes, much aid is still needed in the area and that proceeds from the concert will go to The United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund.

To donate to The United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund call 405-236-8441 or give $10 by texting REBUILD to 52000.

At this point, no decision has been made on whether the show will be broadcast on television.

A line formed outside Nashville Palace well before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning for the Reunion of Professional Entertainers (R.O.P.E.) breakfast. (photo: Jennifer Justus)

Drink plenty of water. Start the day with a good breakfast.

It might read like advice from Mom or a Wheaties commercial, but it’s also how some things get rolling during CMA Music Festival week.

The day before the official start of the festival, two groups held two different breakfasts to give fans a chance to hear music, take photos and collect autographs.

Near the Grand Ole Opry House at the sold-out Reunion of Professional Entertainers (R.O.P.E.) breakfast, a line snaked around the Nashville Palace on Wednesday morning. Fans waited for legends such as Mel Tillis, Charley Pride, Bill Anderson and Jean Shepard.

They stood in line with performers including rhinestone-bedecked Joe Edwards, who played fiddle in the “Grand Ole Opry” staff band for more than 30 years. His wife, entertainer Jan Edwards, said she can’t get used to calling the week’s events “CMA Fest,” as she’s used to the old days of calling it “Fan Fair.”

Inside Nashville Palace, Judy Wilson of LaFollette, Tenn., said she had returned for a second year to attend the R.O.P.E. breakfast and Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam on Wednesday night. An avid fan of George Jones, she had visited previously for his fan club parties.

“We visited his grave yesterday,” she said.

Even earlier than the R.O.P.E. breakfast this morning, at just after 7 a.m., about 350 fans had already settled in for a meal downtown at the sold-out GAC Kick-Off Breakfast in the atrium of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Sandra Thomas of Raleigh, N.C., has been coming to the GAC breakfast for four years and to CMA Music Festival for 12 years. She said she looked forward to hearing Easton Corbin perform later in the morning after Lonestar, Eric Paslay and Drake White.

It might have been a younger bunch of performers at the GAC event, but the legends were honored, too.

“I’m a fan of George Jones…” White said in a mini-speech during his new single “Simple Life.” Applause erupted and hands lifted toward the ceiling. “…and I’m a fan of you,” he said.

So even with a different vibe in two different parts of town, the breakfasts this morning had at least a couple things in common: a love of country music and scrambled eggs.

Click here to see a photo gallery from this evening's visitation. Joe Diffie and Brenda Lee at the private visitation for the late George Jones. (Photo: Dipti Vaidya/The Tennessean)

Fifteen minutes before the private visitation began for Country Music Hall of Famer George Jones, the parking lot at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home was full, parked cars packed the pathways that lead around the cemetery and a line of traffic snaked down the funeral home's long and winding driveway into Thompson lane.

Among those sitting in traffic, Loretta Lynn. When Lynn's black SUV made it into the parking lot, she was greeted by Mark Collie. Golf carts were deployed to bring guests from their cars to the building. Those who had already parked were standing two deep in a line that stretched down the funeral home steps and around the side of the building. Collie, Jim Lauderdale, the Oak Ridge Boys' Duane Allen, and John Rich stood in that line early in the evening. As time passed, other celebrities including Trace Adkins and Brad Paisley were whisked inside without having to wait.

"I've known George longer than almost anyone," said Brenda Lee, a member of both the country and rock 'n' roll halls of fame. "George has been my friend for years. I was thinking the other day about the song 'Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes,' and that's never more poignant than now. He was integral to country music. I've traveled all over and in Japan and they knew George but didn't know country. I've lost a great friend and the world has lost a great artist."

“This stage is packed with great hit-makers for four days, and it’s free,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “We invite everyone to come and enjoy the great music on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage.”

Individual tickets to the nightly shows at LP Field, which this year feature artists including Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton and Brad Paisley, are on sale now through Ticketmaster for $40 plus fees. Four day packages to the event start at $125. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or log on to www.ticketmaster.com. For more information on the CMA Music Festival, visit www.cmafest.com.

Country music singer Mel Tillis holds up his 2011 National Medal of the Arts after it was presented to him by President Barack Obama, Monday, Feb., 13, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Monday honored several artists, writers and organizations for their contributions to the nation, and pledged to make the arts and humanities a priority for as long as he is in the White House.

Obama bestowed eight National Medal of Arts and nine National Humanities Medals during a ceremony in the White House East Room. Among this year's recipients were actor Al Pacino, poet Rita Dove, country music singer-songwriter Mel Tillis and the United Service Organization, which holds performances for American service members stationed around the world.

Before awarding the medals, Obama said the arts have the power to bring together people of different backgrounds and beliefs. And he urged the honorees to help mentor a new generation of artists and scholars, saying their role in the nation's future would be equally as important as the next generation of engineers and scientists.

"The arts and humanities do not just reflect America, they shape America," Obama said. "As long as I'm president, I look forward to making sure they are a priority for this country."